'Hope and resilience': Photo campaign highlights men’s depression

More than 840,000 Canadian men are affected by depression each year – and one Vancouver-based campaign is using images to raise awareness and help men improve their lives.

The group HeadsUpGuys, funded by the Movember Foundation and the University of British Columbia, launched a men’s depression photo campaign this October entitled #BetterStartsHere.

“A lot of imagery around depression or mental illness captures the negative aspects, such as how much pain and suffering there is,” says project coordinator Joshua Beharry. “We really wanted to focus on what recovery looks like, or what better looks like. There are not a lot of campaigns like that.”

There's a very nice atmosphere here - a feeling of kindness and caring. It's almost contagious when you come in here. People who work at St. Paul's all feel it. Our volunteers are proud to wear their red vest. It's satisfying to feel needed. ”